Crosswalk.com aims to offer the most compelling biblically-based content to Christians on their walk with Jesus. Crosswalk.com is your online destination for all areas of Christian Living – faith, family, fun, and community. Each category is further divided into areas important to you and your Christian faith including Bible study, daily devotions, marriage, parenting, movie reviews, music, news, and more.

Greg Laurie Daily Devotion - Apr. 2, 2009

2009Apr 02

COMMENTS

Thursday April 2, 2009

The Spiritual Soldier

“Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” —Luke 14:33

The people were following Jesus in great numbers, but for the wrong reasons. So He made a series of statements intentionally designed to thin out the ranks. He wanted to be left with those who really wanted to follow Him, truly committed disciples and soldiers.

Let’s look at the qualities Jesus wants in the soldiers He is enlisting in His service. We can see just what He expects in the Gospel of Luke:

Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. . . . So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:25–26, 33)

Jesus laid out plainly what is necessary to be His disciple, to be a soldier in His service. In essence, Jesus said, “If you want to follow Me, you must love Me more than anybody else.”

If someone is trying to hold you back, say to that person, “I’m sorry, but I am following Christ. If you want to walk with me, come on. You can be a spiritual soldier with me.”

A spiritual soldier must also forsake all he or she has for Jesus. That means you take everything in your life and say, “This belongs to you, Lord.”

That is what it means to be Jesus’ disciple. That is what it means to be His soldier: you love Him more than anyone, more than anything—just as He loves you!

For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.organdto listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com, click here.

SPECIAL OFFER

Hope for Hurting HeartsIn times of tragedies and trials, certain things become evident:

This life will have its sorrows

God loves us

Jesus weeps in our times of pain

God can be glorified through human suffering

Hope for Hurting Hearts, Pastor Greg Laurie’s new book, examines these truths, revealing God’s love and care for us, and shows how we can find hope, even in the midst of the most unbearable pain and sorrow.

You can have your own copy of Hope for Hurting Hearts by Greg Laurie in appreciation for your gift to Harvest Ministries this month.